Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has extended his contract until 2012, the Italian club said on Thursday.

Italy's national soccer team goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon controls a ball at the Coverciano training grounds, near Florence, May 30, 2007.[Reuters]

The Italy number one had considered leaving despite Juve recently securing promotion back to Serie A following their demotion last year for match-fixing.

But having stuck with the club for a season in the second division, Buffon has opted to stay following the appointment of former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri as coach.

"An important day for me, because I have written a new page in my career and life," Buffon said in a statement.

AC Milan were linked in the Italian press with a possible approach for Buffon but club bosses at the San Siro were quick to say they were happy with Brazil goalkeeper Dida.

Buffon was in excellent form during Italy's Euro 2008 qualifying wins in the Faroe Islands on Saturday and Lithuania on Wednesday.

"Today we have achieved another important result, as keeping Gianluigi Buffon at Juventus was one of the key points of our plans for the coming years," the club's general manager Jean-Claude Blanc said.